1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a vandalism resistant insulating panel for use on the exterior of houses and other buildings, particularly in urban areas, and to houses and other buildings having vandalism-resistant thermally insulative walls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exterior building surfaces appearing to be in panel form have been constructed in place using plywood to cover rigid or semi-rigid foam or fiberglass insulation. The plywood is usually secured in place over the insulation using long nails. A finishing, weather-resistant material, such as stucco, is then applied over the plywood. Alternatives to the plywood include oriented strand board, fiber-reinforced cement panels, dry wall and other materials. The plywood or alternate material is not integrated with the underlying insulation material, i.e., there is no commingling of the plywood or any alternate material with the underlying foam or fiberglass insulation. The plywood or alternate material may, in some cases, be bonded to the insulation by directly applying urethane, as it chemically reacts and forms into foam, to the plywood.
Building exteriors have also been constructed using foam that is applied in a wet, uncured, highly viscous state, which seals the building wall and increases the insulative effect of the wall. Such sealed walls, fabricated using such foam, do not allow outward diffusion of water, leading to rot of underlying walls that are wood. Furthermore, building exteriors created using this approach are not sufficiently damage resistant, especially in urban environments.
Another approach is to use a rigid material such as brick, concrete or wood as a protective outer layer over an insulating material.
Plastics, which one might consider for use as building exterior materials, are generally too expensive for residential construction and are viewed as high performance materials reserved for use in automotive and aerospace applications.
There is a need for a durable exterior panel for residential and other buildings that provides good thermal insulation and resistance to vandalism and other damage, and which is easily put in place on site with resulting minimal labor costs.